Folding umbrella



(Nemo-del.)

F; M. HUNT. FOLDING UMBRELLA. No. 508,717K M Patented Nov. 14, 1893.

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UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK. M. HUNT, 0E ROUND OAK, GEORGIA.

FOLDING UMBRELLA.

SPECIFICATION forming. part of Letters Patent No. 508,717, datedNovember 14, 1893. Application led April 24, 1893. Serial Nov 471,609.v(No model.)

To all whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK. M. HUNT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Round Oak, in the county of J ones and State of Georgia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Umbrellas,of which the following is a specification, refer- -ence being hadtherein to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure l is a verticalsectional view of the umbrella opened, the cover being removed to bettershow the construction; Fig. 2 a similar view folded; Fig. 3 a similarview showing it partly open; and Fig. 4 a detail view showing moreclearly the connection between the stretchers and the ribs.

The object of this invention isto produce a compactly-folding umbrellawhich shall be very simple and durable inv construction and which shallalso be inexpensive as more fully hereinafter appears. V

In the drawings, a designates the stal, which is constructed in severaldetachable sections in order to be capable of separation. T he ribs areeach constructed of two sections b b,the former having their upper endspivoted to the usual stationary ring near the upper end of the staff andthe latter being pivotally secured, at a point near their upper ends, tothe lower ends of the upper sections. The preferred device for pivotallyconnecting the sections of each ofthe ribs is a small clip 6"', rivetedto the lower sect-ion and having ears which embrace and are pivoted tothe extreme end of the upper section. The

, lower rib sections are bent at the point where the clips are attachedso that the upper surfaces of the sections will come substantially flushwith each other and the overlapped portions iit close together when theumbrella is open, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The upper ends of the lowersections are provided with inwardly projecting parts b2, which areslotted longitudinally for the reception ofthe pivots carried by thebifurcated upper ends of the stretchers c, the lowerendsof thestretchers being pivotally attached in the usual manner to an ordinaryrunner d. Near the upper end of the staff is placed the usual 5o springcatch e to hold the umbrellaopen and 'above this catch is a similarcatch e.' which is reversed so as to act as a stop and prevent therunner prematurely sliding higher up the staff. Secured on the lower endof each of the upper rib-sections is a sp ringclaspf which embraces theadjacent portion of the lower rib-section and clamps the sectionstogether and holds them in alignment when the umbrella is unfolded.

This umbrella is opened and closed the same as an ordinary one and thereis no danger of it prematurely folding. "When it is desired to fold itcompactly, for packing in a valise, trunk, &c., it is simply necessaryto press in the upper catch e and slide the runner up toward the upperend of the stick, which will throw the ribs and .stretchers up totheposition shown in dotted lines in Fig. l. The upper ends of the outerrib-sections are` then pressed inwardly toward each other, whereuponthese sections will become disengaged from' the clamps fand all theparts will readily fold to the positions shown in Fig. 2, lthe outer orlower ends of the lower rib-sections pointing upward. Then by separatingthe handle or staff sections the umbrella will occupy but a small spaceand will be in condition for packing away. In unfolding, the sections ofthe staff are first put together and the umbrella then inverted, thehandle-end pointing upward. The runner is then moved along thestaff-past the spring-catches-to a suitable point near the handle, whichaction swings the outer ends of the rib-sections and stretchers outradially from the stad. Then by holding the runner in that positionuntil the umbrella' is righted, so that its handleend will point down,the outer rib-sections willl easily swing outwardly to the positionshownin Fig. 3; then by sliding the runner up again on the staff therib-sections will become locked together and be ready for use.

This umbrella will cost but slightly more than those of the ordinaryconstruction and it may be continuously used without folding as anordinary unfoldable umbrella, if desired. Its main aduantages lie in itssimplicity, lightness, com pactness and durability. The slottedextensions b2 on the inner ends of the outer rib-sections enable theparts to be folded closer together, that is, they permit the sections ofthe ribs and the braces to IOO come closer together, when the umbrellais folded for packing, Without straining the joints between the ribsections or bending said sections. In practice, a joint of thischaracter, or an equivalent loose joint, is found indispensable to avoidbending the ribs, &c.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is- In afolding-umbrella, a sectional staff, ribs pivoted thereto andconstructed of two pivotally-connected sections, the upper ends of theouter sections overlapping the outer ends

